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Lawyer defends Suffolk whistleblower probe, and submits final report

May 15, 2019

The lawyer for the Suffolk Legislature’s whistleblower probe on Tuesday defended the legitimacy of the investigation into the promotion of the nephew of the county police chief of detectives, and filed his final report on the matter.

During a 90-minute appearance before lawmakers, outside counsel Joel R. Weiss sought to rebut a letter from David Kelley, a former U.S. Attorney representing the county in the matter.

Kelley had urged the Legislature to drop its investigation. He also said legislative Presiding Officer DuWayne Gregory (D-Copiague) could have a legal conflict of interest and could obstruct a federal review of the promotion.

Weiss produced a May 9 email from Carolyn Weiss, a Justice Department lawyer involved with the federal consent decree dealing with discrimination in police hiring.

“We have not found our separate investigatory jurisdictions to be in conflict as they are exercised simultaneously,” Weiss wrote. “Therefore, we do not see your investigation as an impediment to our review.”

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